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This mini-sermon hit me like the fragrance of a blooming lilac in the garden this morning. Thank you! I keep diet Coke and scotch in my house for the very reason you illustrated. I don't drink either of them, but I can't think of a better way to put out the "welcome mat" for my loved ones who do. I have Muslim neighbors on either side of me, both have shown their own form of love to me with gifts of really good olive oil from the Middle East and a 2 pound bag of whole-bean coffee in this pandemic. I need to figure out a way to "keep the proverbial favorite beer in the fridge" for them.

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We learn how to love by being loved. So true, so profound, and yet when we look at that seemingly unlovable human being before us we forget this. Having brought love for the first time into the lives of our five children, all orphans from orphanages in the former USSR, I have witnessed the inability to accept love, sometimes for years, sometimes way younger than one would imagine a child would have hardened to love. I have also seen the gently softening, and the doubts as they internally ask if this is really something to trust "for real". The heart that is in self-protect mode can't accept love until someone sticks around and loves long enough and hard enough. Frankly, I never had that ability on my own and it was only through the example of Jesus...and not the "heavenly Jesus" but the Dude Jesus...that I learned that I was capable of loving even more than I thought, and I could do the hard work.

The acceptance of love is, in its own way, terribly difficult work. There are REASONS people are unable to be open and accepting of care in their lives. Yes, it can be hard to love others who are unkind and distant, but I think back in my own life to moments when I was embarrassed to accept the softness and affection of others, when I couldn't trust it at all. It is an amazing work in all of us and a cycle...being loving and accepting love are different and yet the same sort of heart challenge.

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Holding back defeats love

loving n being loved thru the storm n thru the calm brings peace yet it is hardest to do without loving oneself first

It is thru acceptance we flow with the divine

Shine on beautiful people

Stay well

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Thank you so much for your beautiful words.

Love is an even-more complicated concept for me -- as somebody who has always been superfat, even as a child, I didn't have a lot of love without condition. From my family, there was always love and scorn, and even bullying. And from the rest of the world, there was usually scorn and bullying without the love.

The net result of that is that I am so unprepared to be loved. I am a master of building walls, of second-guessing people's intentions (so many people are prepared to play a long game, to only pretend to like you so they can hurt you / make fun of you all the worse).

Every middle school note from someone pretending to have a crush on you just to hurt you. Every new friend you make, only to find out they're laughing at you behind your back. (The week before I graduated high school, the week before I stood in front of my entire graduating class and spoke about our present sufferings not being comparable to the glory within us, and Tolkien's reminder that not all tears are evil, there was a photo text of me with the word "loser" on the bottom going around to all of my classmates. Only one had the consideration to tell me.)

This is the foundation that I have for being an adult in the world. For creating loving relationships with others. Which may be a large part of the reason that I don't. I don't have a lot of close friends. I don't have sex. I will never have children. I will never have a big family, or someone to turn to. A few years back, I read an article about elder orphans: people who grow old without anyone to rely on, without any family or friends or anyone who cares to be around them as their life winds down to an end. And I saw a vision of myself, if I live to old age.

And I don't know how to reconcile what the Lord wants with any of this. It feels like the rest of the world, and all the love in it, is a river, and I'm just a stick in the mud, unmoving until it breaks off.

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THANK YOU for this!

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I loved that!

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I had a helpful thought too ...it's not like, after reading this I will all of a sudden be able to receive love in one big glorious moment, but it did bring me one step closer, and I can be glad for that

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I am loved

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"Our Lord's economy" - love it!

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Wonderful. Thank you so much.

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This is so difficult and beautiful and overall, just a lot to struggle to comprehend. But worth that struggle, I think ♡

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That is beautiful, so many times we don't think of Jesus the guy...Thank you for that!

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So much to ponder here.

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Nadia, this is absolutely beautiful. Thank you for your compassion and wisdom.

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What a gift you have and are!🥰

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You preach is such a beautifully captivating way, I’m truly listening to every word. Your topics are those that I’ve never heard or through about before which brings a fresh and appreciated perspective to the gospel. Thank you. I hope you and your loved ones have a beautiful Easter and stay safe and healthy through all this. ❤️

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